Yay! More Benedict Cumberbatch! Cumby is going to be everywhere on Thursday and Friday, so I hope you Cumberbitches prepare yourselves and your Cumberburning loins. At some point, Benedict is going to have a London premiere for The Fifth Estate, and probably a NYC premiere too. I don’t know when. But British Cumberbitches get to see the movie before the Americans – it’s being released there this week, and America gets it next week. Still, Benedict will be in NYC this week to promote it. He’ll be on Good Morning America, Katie Couric and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, all on Thursday. Then on Friday he’s going to do a Reddit Ask Me Anything. OH GOD. That will either be brilliant or career-destroying, nothing in-between.

But does it even matter? As more critics see the film, the film is looking more and more like a potential bomb. RISE, CUMBERBITCHES. Our man needs us! You can see some reviews and such here at Rotten Tomatoes – as I’m writing this, the movie is at a heartbreaking 40%. And to add insult to injury, Prime Minister David Cameron is a fan of Benedict. Nooooo.

David Cameron has hailed Benedict Cumberbatch’s portrayal of the “twitchiness” of Julian Assange and expressed qualified support for the early work of the WikiLeaks founder. The prime minister, who described Cumberbatch’s performance in The Fifth Estate as brilliant, said WikiLeaks had done well in its early period when it exposed corruption in Africa. But he said that in its later period WikiLeaks had put lives at risk.

Cameron was asked to review the Fifth Estate before an appearance on The Agenda on ITV on Monday night. He managed to see the first part of the film. The PM told ITN’s political editor, Tom Bradby, who presents The Agenda: “Benedict Cumberbatch – brilliant, fantastic piece of acting. The twitchiness and everything of Julian Assange is brilliantly portrayed.”

But Cameron said he felt uneasy that in the film Assange appears to be more concerned about the fate of people who leaked documents to WikiLeaks – an apparent reference to Chelsea Manning – rather than people whose security may have been jeopardised by the leaks.

The prime minister said: “There is an interesting bit at the beginning when he says some of these documents are confidential, people’s lives are at risk and of course he is thinking of the people who have leaked them. Actually you also need to think about the people whose lives are at risk because they have been leaked. In the bit of the film I saw that didn’t come out enough. But it makes you think.”

But the PM, who campaigned strongly in favour of open government while in opposition at the time that WikiLeaks first started to make an impact, said he had some understanding of the motives for its early work. Asked whether he had sympathy for the way in which it had exposed corruption, he said: “Yes, you do feel sympathy for them because some of the things they uncover in Africa and elsewhere – you think it is great that information has been revealed. Transparency, sunlight is a great disinfectant. Transparency about information and where money is spent and how it is spent – this helps keep governments and politicians honest. So it is a good thing.”

But Cameron questioned what he called the “huge dumps of information” by WikiLeaks. He said: “But later on the film when it gets on to what happened recently where just huge dumps of information – every single telegram they had was made public without thinking of the consequences and huge lives could be put at risk. There is some information that government has to keep secret for national security, for people’s safety. I think that needs to be part of the debate too.”

Eh, I kind of think Cameron makes a good point. Does that make me a Tory? I wonder if Benedict has ever voted Tory. He often sounds like a dyed-in-the-wool Labor voter, but you never know.

Also, the full-length (ish) trailer for Little Favor was released. Cumberbloody! CUMBERCIDE. Is it funny to anyone else that Cumby is playing some badass special forces dude who karate chops people? God bless him. I love him.

Oh my god, that’s awesome. I see your Donkey jacket and raise you my article that talks about Howard Barker and slags off Maggie T (partly self-promotion, and partly because I don’t think a Neil Kinnock bald cap is going to do the trick). Cumby’s going to love it, now that he needs to regain his liberal credibility.

*goes off to see how easily I can still alternate between Chav English and RP*

Somewhere around, I have a book on the history of radical British writing. I might need it! Um…

I see your article (gah, I hate the ease with which you had something to beat my awesome donkey jacket) and raise you ticket stubs from a Red Wedge gig (which my older cousin took me to). Elton Schmelton.

Dammit. My youth (smugsmugsmug) betrays me. I first heard of Tony Benn when I was wee and Pandora from Adrian Mole liked him. I wasn’t even able to vote until Blair’s first election and I’m not copping to anything from that point on.

I did a big project on the whole thing as the springboard for the Peerage Act for one of my A levels years ago. It would make a fantastic film: the brother dying in WWII, the election in which everyone voted for the guy they knew would be disbarred from taking his seat; the guy who came second but became the MP taking on something else that disbars you from the Commons as soon as the act was passed so Benn could get there in the end.

Well, he can’t help it! It’s just not the same after she washes it! He has to get it all worn in again and it doesn’t smell right! And nothing else looks as good with his purple jeans and cool stripped shoes… all the other kids said so!

No no no! He’s not fighting for shirts. He’s defending the perimeters of Thornfield people! We delicate ladies (and hedgehogs) need to be protected!!! Geez, remember, he IS a gentleman. (and tommy is our requisite fool)

You and your delicate footwear are welcome. But if you’re putting together any press releases, I prefer to go by my full title, which is Arch Duchess of the Drawing Room, HRH of Hedgehogs, Queen Cumberbitch Fantomina.

LadySlippers – what do you mean you invited yourself? Did the Arch Duchess of Oh Hey Shiny Object forget to send you yours?

Honesty Fanty – I have half a mind to untie Cumberbatch until you get your head about you!

Now, if you will excuse me, LadySlippers, I am going to put some clothes on, give CHemboy a penguin toy to entertain him in my stead and see to tea for you. I am positively scarlet over the matter of you being overlooked like that.

It’s really just *too* sad that Cumby does not see this post & these comments. I could weep.

Cumby & his Mummy should both be reading this.

& I appreciate the comments re: my delicacy. I know I have been monopolizing the fainting couch & the smelling salts. It started out as a carb-free diet, but has turned into consumption. Please don’t hate me.

Lol sometimes Cameron can have good taste, he liked BC’s performance and Breaking Bad. Also if you guys watch the video…Cameron mispronounces Cumberbatch…said Cumberhatch instead and reporter had to correct him hehehe

So far those who have seen the movie (normal people) are saying the film is OK at best but it’s BC’s astounding performance that uplifts it altogether. Also some praised the chemistry between Daniel and BC….gahhh I am so watching it no matter how bad reviews it gets.

@Abby – it sounds that Cameron’s approval isn’t quite the kiss of death I feared it might be…

I don’t think that as a foreigner I am capable to properly weigh the situation, BUT as a tennis follower I happen to remember too well how David C used to jinx poor Andy Murray several times. (It’s OT but still…)

I occasionally take a peek of that witches’ cauldron of a Hiddleston thread, so in general I understand this urge to take advantage of Curls’ many skills, but I’m afraid I won’t let anybody to do that to her…

Curls is still experiencing the worst hangover ever she gained from those private Last Enemy drinking games she’s beeen playing. I know her rule is to take a sip of red wine every time an indecent thought comes to her mind, and it was 5 hours of Cumby – SHAVED & ORIGINAL AUBURN EDITION. So I have ordered Curls to take it easy until new Benepix (he should have an Asterix character btw) arrive to invigorate her.

I’m not very familiar with Reddit, either. I’m sort of hoping it goes both ways- I don’t want him to be a boring automaton, but at the same time, I’m hoping he makes it through without inadvertently pissing off the whole of the internet. Oh der.

Towards the end of it, all of the sudden Cumby starts giving one-word answers… behind the scenes footage is released of Cumby waxing philosophical about his acting process/hair/eating habits but all the internet saw was: “yes.” Meanwhile, Emily the PA is taking shots through straws.

Did you know I got a first at Cambridge? I used to have a real job, and a life, and a boyfriend, and now I get my drunk uncle into cabs and I’m not allowed to drive the jaguar that granny promised would be mine. Oh, and he totally shagged the Russian.

I was just coming here to comment on the AMA that is sure to be an entertaining debacle.

Ever since I learned what DUC was, I have been hoping that poor Emily always retaliates the next morning by telling him what everyone is saying about him on Tumblr. You know how he talks in detail about the JohnLock fanfiction? I am convinced she’s the one telling him what’s being said online.

I hope she sneaks into his house and whispers it at night, then acts all innocent the next day when he asks about it, so he thinks he’s going crazy. Now I’m going to have to start calling her Mrs. Danvers.

Yep, airing this Friday but filmed mid week. He must be flying out to the US today/tomorrow as I’ve heard he’s on Jimmy Fallon on Friday and some other NY morning shows.

Lots of new Cumbers Clips.
There’s also an interview with Olivia in the Standard promoting her new play. It pretty much sums up my feeling, that it’s been 2 years and she and he are still being asked about it but she is lovely about him, so that’s nice anyway.

I agree, it sounded like she half expects it but doesn’t really get why it’s *still* coming up, which is kind of the impression you get from BC too. They’ll answer politely but really, who apart from Katy Perry talks about an ex they broke up with 2 years previously, it even says she is dating someone else.

Please, because I still don’t believe he has a proper bike. I’m convinced that AT MOST, it’s a purple Vespa that he’s using to pass himself off as a biker. When paps are around, he high-tails it to the nearest Kawasaki he can find and makes sure they get the shot.

@T.Fanty – You know (at least now) very well I don’t give a flying fig about the bike. It’s just that particular bike driving position I’m interested in. I’m measuring his angles etc. etc. One must always prepare for the future challenges… *stretches legs*

GAH! Now I have to figure out how to use Reddit? Can’t it just be on Twitter? Well, then he’d be limited to 140 characters, and that defeats the purpose of the Cumbermouth. Fine, Reddit it is. But he better be unsupervised.

Apparently the 12 Years a Slave premiere happened in NYC last night. No Cumby that I’ve seen.

I have a bad feeling about the Reddit AMA… Mainly because if he doesn’t have a handler, it’s all “OMG MARRY ME OMG ARE YOU DATING ANYONE OMG UR SO UGLY!” type shit. And sarcasm does NOT translate via internet usually, so he may come off as extra douchey with a side of douche if he gets defensive.

Actually, some of the AMAs on Reddit have been excellent. There’s not usually a lot of crap like that. I think the best ones are when the person is actually answering the questions him/herself and not having a handler do it.

Why is it bad that Cameron is a Benedict fan?? Anyone can be a fan of anyone they like, yes? I’m picking up the scent of something unpleasant here. Is it because Cameron “leans right” that he shouldn’t be allowed the privilege of enjoying Benedict’s work? That can’t be right, right? Because that seems a bit intolerant (“I don’t like your politics, so you can’t like my favorite actor”) and surely the open-minded liberal fans here would not be so intolerant.

@Maureen, I don’t necessarily feel it’s Cameron’s political orientation that is the issue here. I tend to think that the sitting PM in a weak economical situation isn’t going to be the most loved person whichever direction he/she is leaning to.
IMO the only exception would be Benedict of course. They should make him the PM of the whole wide world, and he could tax me until I have only underwear left, and after that I would gladly give those to him too…

I don’t think it’s a left/right or party thing, Maureen. The current administration hates Assange. But the previous one did, too. Even more, probably, since it was led by an arch liberal interventionist and domestic surveillance advocate.

No administration likes a security/defence whistleblower. More so in the age of the War on Terror. Cameron was stuck with commenting on a high profile film starring a British actor (the PM has to talk those up, Britain is making a lot of money from this industry) about a contentious topic that potentially shines a poor light on Britain and its allies (the PM has to talk that down).

He’d have been better to try to ensure that the question wasn’t asked so he didn’t have to say anything at all. It’s not as though anyone gives the chuff from a flying monkey about Cameron’s film critiques; the question was asked to make him squirm and hedge his film critic bets enough to look foolish. Which is pretty much what he did.

I know hardly the most mature the majority of the time I am democratic and tolerent. Then it comes to politics and it changes I can’t explain it nor am I ashamed of it, I think that in most factors you can’t help the way you are but politics you choose.

Well that’s pretty much put the kiss of death on the film just when it look liked it might have rallied a bit. It was all pretty predictable and nothing I would not have expected Cameron to say. Just convinces me that any thoughts of putting it on my must see films are to be ignored. I think Benny should try his hand at comedy next. It might widen his acting range.